I WILL END ALL THAT OPPOSE ME

"We've returned." the voice stung, but still it would please her to some extent. The pulse of the old muscles against her back reminded her of what allowed her to get so far in Fiore. She wouldn't forget that, nor that Shura was the only person who gave a streetrat a chance at life. She owed him that much. If serving for his cause would be her payment, then she would do it to her last breath.

Still, she stood outside of the castle, waiting for her orders. She knew of her employer, and they knew of her skills. She had only delivered a flower the last she came, but since then, the Manji name had appeared more and more.

"Miss, your attire." a maid had held the clothing Chi was to wear for her task. She would nod, smiling at the girl, only to get a small blush and smaller smile in return. She didn't know how the following began, or why it grew so sudden, but Chi Lau had no reason to complain. There was a follower somewhere. Even if they did not know of her, they could feel the alignment to the great god.


She would put on the outfit. She would make haste of her actions, fully knowing that the more time she spent actually doing work was a higher chance of success on her task. She wanted nothing more then to return to her own life and to be done with her temporary job at this castle once more. She had other matters to tend to, and to build another man's castle was not on her list of things to do before she died.

After she was dressed, she would make her way to the other workers, addressing no one. She would pick up the stone and brick and work just as they had. It was a simple and easy job that paid more than enough for the work.

"He's just going to die like the others."

She could hear the conversation, but with all of the hands placing the stone to fix the castle wall, she would have a hard time to pin point which man had opened his mouth. Eventually she would change from the personnel that brought the stone to the wall, to the collection of mortals who actually began to put the wall together. Hopefully this was where she would catch another listen to the man.

". . . Yeah, we should . . ."

She could hear the voice. She was certainly closer to the spy, but she would have to make her way towards him in a way that wouldn't draw so much attention. She would begin to work a bit faster, making her way back and around the others as faster and faster as she could. The more ground she covered, the more she could find. She was careful to not push herself to exhaustion. If she did so, her own purpose would be useless.

She was beginning to feel herself slow down bit by bit by bit as she worked. She was getting tired and would need to rest. She didn't want to, but it was the only option for her success. She would set her lost stone down and take a seat against the wall as she caught her breath.

"What do ya think?"

She looked up at the large man that spoke to her. It couldn't get easier than it already was.

"Those words mean treason." she would tell him, "Treason is punishable by death."

He would cock his neck at her, wondering what gave her any balls to speak to him like that. She was a fool surely. "Ha, Lik-"

"Before you speak, do you know who I am?" she would not look him in the eye, but rather his chest, tracing where each and every nerve and organ is, and was in his body. She would smile. "I came to Fiore because I massacred my own family. I feast on the blood of those I kill." she would then, and only then look up into the man's face.

"You haven't heard of my name, so I won't bother mentioning it. I am the whisper in the night that grabs children and men and feasts on their flesh. I am no vampire. I am no demon. I am simply your nightmare."

Nightmare? That was too far. Was she a teenager writing a story? It was too comical, as if she was in an adventure book or story.

"You're..."

"I have no name. I fear no man. Should you meet me again, I will consume your soul like the rest."

She smiled, a smile that would never leave his memories.

"Please, don't tell Servas. I swear I won't do anything. Please." the man begged. "I'll obey."

"Then your soul is mine." she would tell him, "You will report to me, and me alone. Misbehave and I will take your life, your family's life, and anyone else they know."

The entirety of their conversation was masked between the hammers and stones and concrete. The man would obey and become her pawn to be used later. She would make use of him.

She would turn him into her puppet, something that both Chi Lau and Nameless would find a purpose for. Chi would use him as a devoted member of their new following. Nameless would find him as a good candidate for her own needs should that time come. Even so, even fetch her a new vessel to jump to when that day would arrive. The choices were endless.

---

"So not a single man was there to spy on me?"

"Some had doubts, but none were a threat. If they were, they are no longer." She gave a laugh, "I'll come back if you wish and check on them again if you please. I'll gladly take the lives of those that oppose you."

The man would hand her a sack of money. He would wave her away. "No need for that. If I have other needs, I'll be sure to contact you."

"Of course... my lord."

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